An Albany Salute To Mariano Rivera

As it likely is with many of you reading this, when I first saw the name Mariano Rivera, it was on a malfunctioning Miller High Life scoreboard at Heritage Park. Rivera was a starting pitcher for the Albany-Colonie Yankees. The next time we see his name, it will be etched in gold, immortalized in Cooperstown.

New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) acknowledges the crowd by taking a curtain call after coming out of the game in the ninth inning of the Tampa Bay Rays’ 4-0 win, in Rivera’s final appearance in a game at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, in New York. Rivera is retiring after the season. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

In his last game at Yankee Stadium, Mo’s final recorded out, his fourth of the game and second of the ninth inning, was recorded by number 24, second baseman Robinson Cano, named for, playing the same position as and wearing the inverse number of Jackie Robinson. The first out Rivera recorded at the old Yankee Stadium was on a fly out to Paul O’Neill in right, by number 24 Rickey Henderson. Also fittingly, Rivera was removed by his 1994 Albany teammates, teammates for five championships in New York, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte. On that mound, 56 years of baseball between them. Much like Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak in 1941, a run by teammates which we may never see again.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 26: Mariano Rivera #42 of the New York Yankees is hugged by Andy Pettitte #46 and Derek Jeter #2 as he is pulled from the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Rivera worked a flawless 1 1/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Appropriately pitching in both the eighth and ninth innings. Then Rivera was relieved by Matt Daley, who was born in Flushing, NY. In Mo’s major-league debut at California, he was relieved by Bob MacDonald, whose career ended in Flushing, pitching for the New York Mets in 1996.

During Rivera’s first outing at Yankee Stadium in 1995, a game the Yankees lost, Dennis Eckersley recorded save number 302. Mo will finish his career with at least 350 more saves than Eck.

Assuming that he does not pitch again in Houston, Rivera’s final outing ensured that he will finish with the lowest ERA (2.209) in baseball history. His Bronx career culminates with these numbers: 314 saves, 597 strikeouts, 2.46 ERA.

Overall Rivera has won five World Series rings, a World Series MVP (1999), ALCS MVP (2003) and an All-Star Game MVP (2013). Mo was a 13-time All-Star and led the league in saves three times. Additionally, Rivera won 82 games, appeared in 1,115 games, starting ten of them and finishing 952 of them, with 652 saves. Mo also struck out 1,173 batters, with a career high of eleven in a start in 1995 at the Chicago White Sox.

Those numbers are impressive until you exit the regular season and enter the postseason. Facing 527 batters, Rivera yielded just two (Sandy Alomar Jr. 1997 ALDS and Jay Payton 2000 World Series) home runs. Appropriately, Rivera (like his number) registered 42 playoff saves. In 96 such contests, Mo posted a record of 8-1, a microscopic 0.70 ERA and 110 K’s, in 141 postseason innings.

All of this coming in an era of explosive offense and playing in a fiercely competitive American League East.

Along with those numbers and the countless broken bats will be stories of how Mariano Rivera impacted the game, both on and off the field. No one exuded more class and humility than the man they call “Mo.”

New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera tips his cap to the fans during the ninth inning of the Yankees’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Rays won 4-0 in Rivera’s final home game. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Congratulations on a brilliant and remarkable career Mariano. We’ll see you again by the airport in Colonie, on your way to Cooperstown.

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera comes in during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Rays won 4-0 in Rivera’s final home game before he retires. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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